


oxygen-starved

by grandmas_ghost (nap_princess)



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending, F/M, I wrote this fic for me but y'all can read it if you want, Meredy my cinnamon roll, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 19:14:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14837564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/grandmas_ghost
Summary: "Nervous?""No,"/Diamonds are a girl's best friend but not when it's given at the wrong place at the wrong time– Lyredy but also not really, modern angst AU, Lyon-centric





	oxygen-starved

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [널사랑하지않아](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/387125) by 어반자카파. 



** oxygen-starved **

* * *

널 사랑하지 않아  
너도 알고 있겠지만  
눈물 흘리는 너의 모습에도 내 마음 아프지가 않아

 (I don't love you,  
I'm sure you already know,  
Even when you cry, my heart doesn't hurt)

...

널 사랑하지 않아  
다른 이유는 없어  
미안하다는 말도  
용서해 달란 말도  
하고 싶지 않아  
그냥 그게 전부야  
이게 내 진심인 거야

(I don't love you,  
There's no other reason,  
I don't want to say the words "I'm sorry" or "forgive me",  
That's all,  
This is just how I really feel)

– **어반자카파** , _널사랑하지않아_

* * *

* * *

"You look nice," Lyon Bastia says after observing the dress she's wearing. For some reason, he thinks he sounds forced.

Meredy shuts the passenger door behind her as she scoots over and gives Lyon a quick kiss on the cheek. She tells him, "You don't look so bad yourself."

Lyon locks the car door as Meredy buckles her seatbelt. Sweat gathers on his palms as he steers the wheel. He wants to say something, but he doesn't know _how_ to say it. Can he cancel his own plans when he's the one who's gone out of his way to make it come true?

The radio plays and he says "You're nice" to break the silence.

Meredy blinks, not understanding the meaning behind his words. She parrots, "I'm ‘nice’?"

"Yeah," Lyon nods, eyes staring straight ahead. "You're _so_ nice to me." That's not a fact, that's something he's saying to convince himself not to turn the other way and run. "No one else is **ever** going to treat me as nicely as you."

She thinks he's joking. "That's because I love you." – There, she said it.

He stops himself from making an estranged noise at the back of his throat. All he says is, "Thanks."

* * *

His girlfriend plays with her hair, looping a blue – pink, he corrects himself – curl around her finger. Lyon thinks Meredy knows what's going to happen. What else could a fancy candlelit dinner at an expensive restaurant translate to? Of course, he's going to propose tonight. What other occasion would there be for him to go full out?

* * *

There are red flakes in her green eyes and a big smile playing on her lips. It's a sweet look on her face. And, Lyon will never admit it out loud, but he would prefer it if a pair of blue doe eyes were staring at him that lovingly instead of Meredy's green ones.

* * *

Lyon watches his girlfriend chew her food, humming in content. He feels his stomach twist for all the wrong reasons. Subconsciously, his right leg starts jumping up and down like a jackhammer, shaking the small table.

They're holding hands as they eat, it's a little weird and may seem like an inconvenience. But he's already made the sweet gesture of cutting her steak for her before she dug in. So, _really_ , there's no reason **not** to hold hands when all Lyon and Meredy has to do is shovel food into their mouths and swallow (then stomach everything down).

She squeezes his hand and he squeezes back. It's … _strange_. Lyon's held Meredy's hand a thousand and one times but, tonight, it just seems downright foreign (or maybe it's him that's feeling strange).

"Lyon," She says, brushing pink hair out of her green eyes.

His own dark eyes slide towards her face, "Yeah?"

"You're shaking the table, love."

"Oh," He stops immediately. " _Oh_." He echoes as his cheeks turn pink, "Sorry,"

"It's okay." Meredy answers, putting another piece of steak into her mouth and eating it. Then she asks, "Nervous?"

He almost chokes on air. "P – Pardon?"

"You seem nervous." She repeats herself then teases, "Is there a reason behind it?"

Lyon sucks in a breath. He wants to pat down his suit pocket but he can't because his hands are occupied. He tells her, "Of course not." He wasn't nervous, he was a Goddamn mess!

* * *

"Ju –" Lyon trips over his list of names. He closed his eyes, feeling his lungs restricted. He can't breathe, he's oxygen-starved. He tells her, covering his tracks, "Just order whatever you like, Meredy."

Their fancy meal is coming to an end, he needs to get this over and done with quickly because he's sure no one else will ever look at him that lovingly as his girlfriend will.

"Can I have anything I want?" Meredy asks playfully.

He answers, "Anything for you."

She smiles at him, thinking maybe he's contemplating where to put the ring. The last thing she wants is to accidentally swallow it. Diamonds are a girl's best friend but not when it's given at the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever sweets she wants, she should pick something clear.

Meredy closes the menu and says, "Why don't we settle dinner with some champagne? Does that sound better?"

After all, putting a diamond ring in clear liquid seems like the safest option. They don't even have to finish the whole bottle. Drunk driving is a dangerous thing.

"Er, yeah, sure. Sounds good." Lyon voices, now chewing on the bottom of his lip. Meredy continues smiling at him in return. He's always liked that part of her, she's always been much more confident than him. He says, "Bathroom break."

...

The tap runs as Lyon splashes cold water on his face. His reflection looks back at him, silver hair that refuses to be tamed, dark eyes that looks more than a little lost. He guesses he doesn't look that much different than the day he met Meredy. That's the only explanation he has to why she hasn't caught on yet – that he's a fake. That he's lying to _himself_ AND _her_.

Such a horrible thing for him to do.

They said he was supposed to be nervous and shaky, but he didn't feel a damn thing because he **didn't** love her.  Wasn't in love with her.

Clearing his throat, Lyon remembers the conversation he had with his cousin just hours ago.

.

.

.

"Well, aren't you dressed up?" Gray Fullbuster teases despite knowing just why Lyon Bastia was fitted in a nice suit. Gray asks, eyes flitting away from the TV, "Nervous?"

"No," Lyon rolls his eyes and pats his pocket for what seemed like the tenth time tonight.

"You will when it's time to pop the question." Gray answers.

Lyon says, unconvinced, "Hmm, _sure_ ,"

Lyon looks away, straightening his tie in the decorative mirror as Gray's eyes stay on the TV screen. Lyon thinks, _This is awkward._

No, it's getting awkward. He can't keep dragging it on like this. Lyon wants to get this off his chest.

Lyon turns back to Gray despite a tiny voice in his head telling him to go. Leave, _leave_ , **leave**. He's always been the type to arrive early when there are reservations so why is he sticking around?

"Um, Gray?"

"Yeah?" Gray hums in return, he stops flipping through the channels on the TV. "Not getting cold feet, are you?"

"Don't joke like that." Lyon says, wanting to snap. This is his happiness they're talking about.

"I'm sorry." Gray answers, sounding sincerely apologetic and sheepish.

A moment passes. Lyon opens his mouth then closes it. His hands feel sweaty. This is probably the last chance he has before barrelling into something he's put himself into.

"Tell Juvia-chan ..." He trails off, causing Gray to raise an eyebrow. Lyon chickens out. "Tell Juvia-chan I said 'hi'."

This causes Gray's ears to redden. "How did you know she was coming over?"

Lyon scoffs, holding his heavy heart. "Oh please, it's obvious when Juvia-chan's coming over. You have this ridiculous goofy grin on your face. It's a little creepy, actually."

"Creepy?" 

"Yeah, because you **never** smile."

Gray mutters something under his breath then answers, "I wish I could say the same for you."

"What?" Lyon asks.

"You never smile around Meredy. Your mouth just forms this weird upturn-straight-line. It's like those cartoon scenes where the main character is trying to teach their new friend how to smile but it comes out all wrong."

A frown finds its way onto Lyon's face. He can feel his temper rising. _Damn_ it, he was supposed to be in a good mood. This was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of his life.

Lyon asks, trying not to growl, "Are you saying I don't know how to smile?"

"No." Gray shakes his head. "I've seen you smile. You smile a lot when you hang out with your friends or when Juvia bakes you something nice. I'm just saying, your smile doesn't look genuine when you're around Meredy." Gray admits, rubbing the back of his neck now. "It feels like you're forcing yourself. To be honest, I never thought you'd consider marrying Meredy. It was a really big surprise."

"Well –" Lyon says, no longer trying to hide his snarl. "Well, no one asked for your honesty."

Gray's eyes flutter back in shock. A heaviness falls between them until Lyon decides to grab his keys from an empty fruit bowl and storm out of the shared apartment.

What ever happened to 'honesty is the best policy'?

.

.

.

As soon as Lyon pays for the bill, he turns away from the cashier. Lyon extends an arm towards his girlfriend, gesturing for her to come over. At first, she sends him a funny expression, looking confused yet also amused. But then she walks towards him, ankle boots clicking.

"Hi," She says, smiling wide.

Lyon grins back. "Hello,"

Without even a hint of hesitation, his extended hand intertwines with her. He slips out a diamond ring with his other hand from the pocket of his suit – then slips it on her fourth finger. He doesn't even pop the question, he just goes straight for it because he knows she won't say 'no' to him.

Her blue – No! _No_ , green – her green eyes dart down to her hand, shocked. She's lost for words, she cups the lower part of her face with the hand Lyon isn't holding onto.

She's such a lovely person. He's **so very** lucky to have her.

(But, is she lucky? Not so much. No one deserves a phoney. Not that he's going to say anything though)

Lyon knows Meredy's mind is probably filled with excitement and happiness but blank when it came to words. He knew her so well yet she didn't know the first thing about him.

So Lyon simply pulls Meredy into an embrace. He swears she's crying happy tears into his shoulder and he's stroking the back of her head playing with her blue – no, no, no – pink curls.

 _Get it together, Lyon!_ He scolds himself in his head.

"I love you," Meredy says.

"Ju –"

"I love you _so much._ " She cuts his words, squeezing the life out of him.

"I love you too," Lyon says, hugging her tight. Then adds, "Meredy" because he swears he almost said 'Juvia'.

* * *

**end**

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure you didn't need your heart anyways.
> 
> TL;DR – Lyon Bastia's very much in love with Gray's girlfriend, Juvia, but he's convinced no one else will love him as much as Meredy so he decides to propose to her lmao. Sadly, shit like this does happen in real life.
> 
> I wanted to write Gruvia but the OTP didn't fit this theme. Kinda pissed that I can bust out 2K for a fanfic I didn't even know I could write in less than an hour but it's taken me two hours to write 500 words for my essay due tomorrow.
> 
> – 4 April 2018


End file.
